A Collection of Songs
by Fistful of Moondust
Summary: Based off of six songs, this is the story of the beginning of Ron and Hermione's relationship.
1. Is it Just Me

**_A Collection of Songs_**

Disclaimer:  I don't own Harry Potter or the song, which is "Is it Just Me" by Lila McCann.  They're good books; it's a sweet song.

*** Special thanks once again to Adnap Nottap, CurlsofGold and SoshilaDove for being kind enough to review the first chapter of this story, which is now the second chapter.  Sorry for any confusion, (grins sheepishly) I just like it this way better.

**Chapter 1: Is It Just Me**

Hermione Granger was upset.  She was upset because this entire summer at The Burrow she had managed to make a complete idiot of herself in front of Ronald Weasley.  Then she was upset with herself for being upset with herself in the first place.  It all was really very confusing.

She rolled over onto her side and reflected on the week and five days she had spent here, which had gone quite well up until Fred and George cornered her after she came out of the bathroom that morning.  They cornered her and planted silly, immature ideas in her head.  Ideas she couldn't quite dislodge from her running thoughts this evening.

_"Hermiiione!  How lucky it is of you to have run into us!" George or Fred Weasley called out.  Hermione smiled reluctantly back._

_"Making yourself purty for Ronniekins this morning?" the other asked with a devilish grin that Hermione was sure meant nothing good for her.  "You know, you could have saved yourself the trouble and just worn a bath towel all day.  I'm sure Ickle-Ronniekins would have loved that!" he continued on enthusiastically._

_Hermione could feel her face burning.  They were so ridiculous.  _

_"Oh look!  She has a crush on him too Gred!" the one on the right exclaimed happily.  They clapped their hands in delight.  "Oh it's just so sweet!"_

_Then they waved her off.  "Have a nice day, Hermione!" they said laughingly in unison._

Blast them!  They were such idiots, Hermione told herself, had been telling herself all day. Idiots or not, they had gotten her thinking all day, driving herself insane.

It had been especially bad when Harry had gone out with the twins and Ginny to play Quidditch; Ron couldn't because he had sprained his wrist earlier that day playing Quidditch and since his parents weren't home and none of them were old to perform magic out of school, he had to wait out this game, much to his utter disappointment.

Hermione had opted to stay indoors with him and they had watched T.V. together (Hermione's father had given the small black and white T.V. to Mr. Weasley knowing how fascinated he was with muggle things), sitting on the well-worn sofa, talking and laughing together.

As she was laughing, Hermione looked over at Ron, whose gaze was focused on the television and her breath caught.  It was insane to think he was any different then he had been that morning, but he _was_.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was afraid she was going to say something like, "Wow, you're really cute Ron" or "You know I think I like you."  She didn't want to say anything _that _stupid.

_Lately I've been stumbling over my words /_

_When I talk to you I get nervous /_

_And I rehearse how to say hello when you call me on the phone /_

_When you're over at my house /_

_Watching TV sittin' on the couch /_

_Just hangin' out I catch you staring at me with that silly grin /_

_Are we just friends or is there something going on /_

_Can you feel it too /_

_Oh my God_, Hermione's mind screeched at her.  _Was I just staring at him?  _Did he just catch me staring at him_?  __Oh no, __oh no, _oh no_! She knew her face was as brilliant a red as his hair when she peeked over at him and saw him grinning madly like that.  __OK, _so that was stupid_, she thought._

Ron _was _grinning at her.  He was grinning at her differently somehow.  She wasn't sure she knew how he was grinning at her.  Then again, maybe it wasn't a grin.  The tips of his ears were turning pink and maybe his face was too but she didn't know because she was too chicken to look at his face.

"This T.V. thing is real popular with muggles, eh?" Ron asked finally, breaking the silence.  

"Yeah," she answered, barely audible.  _Well this is an educational conversation_, she thought dryly.  It didn't matter anyway for her brain was incapable of thinking of anything useful to say to Ron Weasley.  Why hadn't her mouth been cotton dry for Viktor when she had seen him for a week this summer?

Well, that was an easy enough question to have answered.  And her heart seemed intent on answering it, no matter how Hermione felt.  

_Really, Hermione, it seemed to beat, you are being so daft_!  _You're acting nearly as silly as your roommates_ (shudder) _when they are flitting about_, _worrying about whether or not this boy or that boy likes them_.  _You love him_!  _You never loved Viktor_!  _When he broke up with you,__ you cried because you thought Viktor was the only boy who would pay any attention to you…__he looked at you like you were a girl.  _You didn't really care about him_!  __Never have, __never will!  __Honestly, __if you can't figure that out, _you're blonder than Lavender_!_

She crossed her arms without even meaning to and was frowning.  She was so deep in concentration she couldn't have noticed Ron staring intently at her, his lips moving like he was talking to himself, which he was.

It was stupid, he thought, to think Hermione was attractive sitting next to him.  It was just plain stupid!  Ron Weasley did _not have a crush on his best friend.  Why, the idea in and of itself was preposterous!  _

_Oh no_!  _Did I just use the word preposterous_?  Ron wanted to slap his forehead but he was so stunned with himself, and also he didn't want Hermione to notice any change in his demeanor because then she would wonder, meaning she would then ask and then he would just have to explain himself all over again…

"Whoa Ron!  You missed one of the best games we've ever had!" George exclaimed happily, throwing a sweat-soaked towel on the floor.  Fred shook his head vigorously.  "Ginny only let one goal slip past!"

Harry stumbled through the door then and stripped off his shirt right then and there, something Hermione thought was very un-Harry like.  She bit her lip to keep from asking though.  She didn't want to embarrass Harry too much, which was what was sure to happen.

"Did you two have fun?" one of the Weasley twins asked with a pointed look darting between Ron and Hermione.  His other half was making obvious kissing noises while Harry and Ginny stood by and laughed, absolutely no help was to be expected from them, Hermione realized.

Hermione's face had turned very red by then…

Did they have to be so stupid, she asked herself while lying on the makeshift bed that same night.  It wasn't like anything had _happened between her and Ron that afternoon, nor was anything ever _going to_ happen between her and Ron!  The idea was absolutely preposterous!_

But she couldn't deny that he was turning into a very gorgeous male—his body had filled out over the summer from practicing Quidditch with his brothers and Ginny and now with Harry.  His hair had darkened considerably into a rich auburn shade (and the gold-colored, sun-induced highlights were nice too, she had to admit).  He was taller now…tall enough to tower over her.  In fact, the only things that hadn't changed were his eyes and his freckles.  His face was as freckly as ever, he wouldn't be Ron without freckles, and his eyes were the color of the ocean.  She rather reluctantly admitted it to herself, but she would like, no love to know what it would be like to swim in those oceans he called eyes.  

She rolled over again, thumping a flailing leg against the dresser, which let out an unmistakable, however soft, "Ouch!"  Ginny groaned in her sleep and Hermione feared she had woken her friend up.  For one long moment she held her breath until she was sure Ginny hadn't woken up.

Besides, she told herself, it was stupid to think that Ron could ever like her…wasn't it?

_Or is it just me feeling this way /_

_Am I the only one that senses /_

_Something going on behind the scenes /_

_Or is it just you the way that you are /_

_That I can't resist and you can't help it /_

_Baby are you falling in love /_

_Or is it just me /_

That was two weeks ago.  Now they were back at Hogwarts, much to Hermione's pleasure and Ron's displeasure and Hermione was trying—trying being the operative word—to get Ron, and Harry, mind you, to study for the O.W.L.S., which Ron was adamantly opposed to.  Nothing new there.  

Ron pinched Hermione's cheek.  "Ah, c'mon Hermione, the O.W.L.S. are months away yet!  Let's play a game of chess!" he suggested happily.

Hermione rolled her eyes.  "I don't know why you'd want to play a game of chess with me, Ron.  You already know how it will turn out," she said reasonably enough.  

Ron batted his eyelashes much the same as Fred and George had been doing all summer.  Thankfully, Ginny hadn't started in on it too, much to Hermione's utter relief.

_Maybe you're just a harmless flirt /_

_And it's safe to rest assured /_

_That it's absurd the way my brain will over analyze /_

_And when my head begins to rush /_

_Every time I think of us /_

_Looking up I get the feeling that this feeling might be real /_

_So what's the deal is there something going on /_

_Can you feel it too /_

Harry sat back reading a new Quidditch magazine he subscribed to, chuckling to himself.  His friends would never change, that much was apparent.  They wouldn't change whether or not they ever fell in love.

Whether or not?

Hermione had practically sobbed the whole sordid affair onto his shoulder.  Harry really did try to be understanding but he didn't like to think of his two best friends as in love.  Well, actually, there was no rock hard evidence to confirm the idea that Ron was in love with Hermione (seeing as that Ron hadn't admitted anything yet) but Harry, as well as the twins and Ginny, and Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Harry was pretty sure every other Gryffindor, hell, every other student at school knew he fancied her.

So, he continued to read, keeping one ear on his friends, chuckling to himself.

Ron's lower lip was quivering with quiet laughter and Hermione was beginning to be more furious each second.  "Ronald Weasley!  You have to start studying!" she demanded, stepping close to him…nose to nose, in fact.  

Hmm, this was interesting…Harry looked up in time to see Ron's gaze flicker from Hermione's eyes to her pursed lips.  Harry's eyebrows shot up in shock.  _Maybe_ Ron was a little more aware of his feelings than Harry had originally thought.

_Whose pulse is pounding whenever you're near /_

_Is it hot in here /_

Ron backed away from Hermione suddenly, rubbing his collar line where he seemed to all of the sudden be a little itchy.  

Harry felt pity for his friend and had one hell of a good way to distract Hermione from Ron, who was obviously in way too deep.  "Hermione, could you help me with this Potions assignment?" he asked, surprising both his friends.

Hermione immediately wheeled around with a delighted grin on her face.  She clapped her hands together once before seriousness took over.  "Now Harry, I'll help but I can_not _do your homework for you…"  Blah, blah, blah, she went on and on for forever about Potions and from the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ron slump down in the chair nearest to him as he silently watched Hermione take a seat next to Harry and start tutoring him on his Potions homework.

Ron had the same homework.  Why didn't she help him?

Harry said something that made her laugh…she really was pretty.  She was beautiful even.  He semi-wondered why he had never noticed this before.  Or maybe he had wondered before…like when they sat watching that muggle contraption that afternoon at The Burrow.  

Ron had noticed her cheeks were a bit pink, and her frizzy brown hair had been pulled back into a relatively nice plait, only a few mischievous strands stuck out here and there but she had been adorable, she really had been.

_Or is it just me /_

_Or is it just you the way that you are /_

_That I can't resist and you can't help it /_

_Baby are you falling in love /_

_Or is it just me (feel like I'm falling in love) /_

He smiled and chuckled along with her when she did.  She was beautiful.  

The feeling slammed into him all at once, much like a freight train would a dummy:  he was in love.

Ron shook his head.  The whole idea was preposterous…there he went, using _that word again…_

_Is it just me (feel like I'm falling in love) /_

_Is it just me (feel like I'm falling in love) /_

_Is it just me /_

So, what do you think of this chapter?  I dunno, I kind of like it better with this one first!  Anyhow, I'm going off to bed now!  Please review!!!


	2. Out of Breath

A/N:  This was originally posted as the first chapter, in case you're wondering for whatever reason.

Disclaimer:  I don't own any of these characters.  I don't own the song…Lifehouse does…I only own copies of the books of the Harry Potter series and a copy of the Stanley Climbfall CD.  That's it.  Truly.

**Chapter 2: Out of Breath**

_I still feel the same /_

_Though everything has changed /_

He was still in shock.  He really was.  Watching her from under the cover of his lashes, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful.  Seeing her like that, happy and bright-eyed gave him this strange feeling.  He wanted to whoop for joy.  

He always had wanted break out in a grin when he saw her laughing like that.

Ron Weasley watched his best friend break out in a fit of laughter.  Her brown eyes glittered like topaz in the common room's dim light.  He didn't even wonder what it was that Harry had said to make her laugh like that, he only allowed himself to observe her, to watch her hair shimmer in messy curls as the locks bounced upon her shoulders.  

Ron hadn't seen her laugh like that in a long time.  

He had however watched her cry when Viktor Krum had broken up with her.  He had wanted to cry himself when Hannah Abbott had broken up with him; she had accused him of looking at Hermione more intimately than he had her.  At the time Ron had scoffed off Hannah's remarks.  

She was right.

He had wanted to cry because she was right.

_The pain it cost now I feel lost inside of my own name /_

Ron sighed.  He didn't know what to do.  

"Hey mate!  How about a game of chess?" Harry asked from across the room.

Hermione rolled her eyes.  "Honestly you two!  You really ought to study!  We've got that Potions exam in two weeks, as I'm sure you both know, and it's sure to be _extremely difficult!"_

Ron grinned.  He wasn't going to accept Harry's offer; he didn't want the poor chap to lower his self-esteem too much in one day but now that Hermione had reminded them of the Potions exam, well…he couldn't pass up the chance to procrastinate!  "You're on mate!"

He stood and started walking toward the stairs to the dormitory when Harry got up, giving Ron a knowing smile.  "I'll get the set Ron," he offered, and before Ron could protest, that black-haired boy darted up the stairs.  Ron made a mental note to suffocate Harry that night.

_But I keep running /_

_I am running /_

_I keep living for the day that I'm with you /_

_And I am waiting /_

_I keep waiting for the day that I'm with you /_

Hermione bit her lip as she looked up at Ron.  She looked directly into his blue eyes and without a doubt knew she loved him.  There was no one else in the world for her.  There was only him.  

Viktor was never for her, nor was Terry Boot or Seamus Finnigan or any other boy Ron might possibly think to throw into her face.  Now, to convince him that. 

Besides, she thought, their friendship had never really been the same as it was before last year's Yule Ball.  Blast that night!  

She had really though that maybe he liked her like, well, like the way she liked him.  She would have dropped Viktor in a second if he had asked her to, but he hadn't.  When Viktor had dumped her she had cried but for a different reason than Ron had thought.  She had cried because it was useless, hopeless, in fact!  Ron didn't feel _that way about her.  It was quite obvious by now._

_The past has left its stain /_

_Now I feel the shame /_

_I'll seize the day if you take away the chains of yesterday /_

She would do absolutely anything for the red-haired, hot-tempered Ron Weasley.

Still, as she looked up at that boy, young man really, and watched his cheeks turn a pink color as she watched him intently, she thought that perhaps there was something actually there.  Harry had grinned like a stupid fool when she'd finally admitted her feelings for their best friend two nights ago.  He hadn't said anything but he had grinned like he knew something she didn't.

She sighed, frustrated, and continued to chew on her lower lip, not realizing what she was doing to her best friend.

_But I keep running /_

_I am running /_

_I keep living for the day that I'm with you /_

_And I am waiting /_

_I am waiting /_

_I keep waiting for the day that I'm with you /_

Damn, but she did look cute sitting there like that, in obvious concentration as she chewed on the succulent lower lip.  Where the hell was Harry?  Shouldn't he be back with his chess set yet?

Ron plopped down on the seat next to Hermione.  He immediately picked up her fresh scent; like rainwater and rose.  It was so Hermione-like that it was driving him insane.  Ron didn't even realize it but he had leaned in closer to Hermione, who was looking back at him with a sparkle in her eye that he had never seen before.

It really was like he was in some sort of trance; he wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't been happening to him right now.  He had always heard love was supposed to be like this.

Love?  Where did that come from?

Ron stared at Hermione and she stared back, their hearts pounding together.  

When they kissed the room disappeared.  For a moment in time it was just the two of them.  There was no one else.

_A new day the sun is shining /_

_Seems like I'm closer to finding /_

_That life is more than what we hide /_

_No way that I'm turning /_

_As longs as this sun s burning /_

_It seems now that all I want is you /_

Hermione pulled away first.  He noticed that her eyelids were still half-shut and he grinned.  Her lips were still partially puckered.  

"Wow," she finally uttered, and in that single word, Ron's heart flew above everything else.  It was flying above the clouds even.  Hermione slowly opened her eyes and something like relief danced across her face.  "Oh Ron," she began breathlessly, "for a moment I thought it all might be a dream!  It wasn't a dream was it?"

_I still feel the same /_

_Though everything has changed /_

_The pain it cost now I feel lost inside of my own name /_

Ron grinned the famous Weasley grin and blushed when he heard catcalls and hollering from the other Gryffindors.  He had forgotten they were sitting in the middle of the common room.  He stole a glance at Hermione and seeing she was just as red in the face, leaned over and kissed her again.

_But I keep running /_

_I am running /_

_I keep living for the day that I'm with you /_

_And I am waiting /_

_I am waiting /_

_I keep waiting for the day that I'm with you /_

Did you like it?  Did you hate it?  Review no matter what, please!  (But don't be too evil if you really hated it, OK?)  Thanks!  


	3. Not that Different

Disclaimer:  I still don't own Harry Potter.  If you think I'm lying, fine, I'm lying.  Oh, and I forgot I don't own the song "Not that Different" either, Collin Raye does.  

*** Special thanks go out to CurlsofGold and dksully for reviewing!  It means a whole lot to me!  

**Chapter 3: Not that Different**

Hermione pulled away from Ron, a slight, beautiful pink blush graced her perfect cheeks.  She hadn't expected it to feel like that.  His lips were so soft…she could lose herself in the memory of their two sweet kisses.  She dipped her chin down so that he couldn't see her thoughts.

Ron bit his lower lip to keep from having that stupid, silly grin on his face that he supposed he had.

"I got the chess set Ron!  Sorry I took so long, I couldn't find it under that mess of yours," Harry announced as he came trampling down the stairs.  

He stopped abruptly as he saw a pink Hermione and an excessively happy looking Ron.  Also, the catcalls, whoops and laughter might have tipped him off to the fact that something had happened.

Harry began walking slowly.  "Hey guys!" he greeted, although neither of his friends looked at him, in fact, neither were looking at each other.  _Oh God_, _I hope they didn't just get in another fight, he thought wearily._

He changed his mind then and turned around, back toward Fred and George.  "OK, what just happened?" he asked seriously.  "Please don't tell me they just got in another fight-

Harry stopped talking when he saw the twinkle in Fred's eyes.  "Nope.  They just kissed.  Twice," Fred informed him.

Harry's jaw dropped.  After being put through five years of fighting between them, and then an obvious discomfort with each since the Yule Ball last year, and then there was that whole sob story Hermione told him, and he didn't even get the good luck to see their first kiss?  Oh, that was just rotten!

"You'd think they'd wait to do that until I was around.  After all those two have put me through," he grumbled jokingly.

Ron finally looked up to see Harry carrying his ancient chess set.  "Hey Harry!  You wanna play that game now?"  Ron flashed a grin as Harry nodded.  

Harry sat down across from Ron and took the liberty to set up the black and white pieces, quietly observing his two best friends, who were still looking flushed.  Harry wanted them to tell him about it…well, not about the kiss (ugh, he didn't want to think of them kissing) but he wanted them to tell him they had kissed.

He cleared his throat.  "So you guys want to fill me in what has everyone talking this evening?"

Hermione blushed even more and bit her lip to keep herself from smiling too madly.  Ron just leaned back into the sofa with a cool look written across his face.  He was still a bit red.

_Oh_, _how cute, __they're both nervous, Harry thought amusedly._

"Hey Hermione, just to warn you, now that you're with Ron you'll have to be jealous of his admirers," Fred or George Weasley called out.

"Yeah, and Ron, you can't get jealous if Dean wants Hermione to give him a private study session!" the other one called out.

"Hey, leave me out of this!" Dean yelled from where he was currently sitting, with Parvati Patil (his kind-of girlfriend) sitting on his lap.  Parvati laughed.

Ron and Hermione just sort of looked at each other awkwardly, both having their silent doubts about their newfound feelings.  "Oh shut up!" Lavender yelled at the twins.  She settled back into her chair and continued filing her nails.  "I think it's sweet." 

Then she and Parvati passed a look that Harry wasn't sure his best friends would like.  "They've been beating around the bush for years now."  She winked at Hermione.  "We knew you two were destined to be together since third year."

Parvati nodded in agreement.  "It was always so obvious."  

Hermione shifted uncomfortably.  _"Hey Hermione, just to warn you, now that you're with Ron you'll have to be jealous of all his admirers!"  _And there were a lot of admirers, Hermione knew.  There with 17 to be exact.  It wasn't as if she had counted them or anything.  She didn't want to watch others fawn over him.

_"Yeah, and Ron, you can't get jealous if Dean wants Hermione to give him a private study session!"  _Ron knew there was nothing to worry about when Hermione tutored his roommates or others for that matter, but he had always worried.  He trusted her, always had, but he couldn't let her be _alone _with another classmate, could he?

Hermione looked at Ron at the same moment he looked at her.  "We need to talk," the said in unison.

Ron stood up and started following Hermione to wherever she was going as he had momentarily forgot about Harry.  Hermione stopped then, and whispered something in Ron's ear.  

A muffled "Oh yeah," sounded from Ron.

"Hey Harry!" he called over, "Let's make that game for tomorrow night, OK?"  Harry nodded.  It didn't really matter anyway because he decided he was not in the mood to lose another game of chess to Ron Weasley, chess extraordinaire.  

They found two empty seats in the back of the library, Hermione's favorite room.  Of course, Ron had always known that. 

She bit her lip.  He looked her over.  

_She said we're much too different we're from /_

_Two separate worlds /_

_And he admitted she was partly right /_

"I don't think we're going to work out Ron," she said with much more confidence then she actually was feeling.  She did not pat herself on the shoulder for this though.  Her heart was breaking.

Ron sighed.  He had known their five seconds of togetherness wouldn't last much longer.  He hadn't known what had possessed him to kiss her then, and right in front of everyone else.  He must be going daft.

Hermione looked away and took a deep breath to steady her shaking nerves.  "I don't want to be jealous of other girls Ron," she admitted much more weakly than she had originally spoken.

He smiled bitterly.  He couldn't say anything to her response.  He would be jealous no matter what.

She laughed but it wasn't the laugh he normally loved; it was a sad laugh, a desperate laugh.  He had heard her laugh like that once before, after Viktor had broken up with her.  The bastard!

"We're too different," she continued on.  Then she looked up into his eyes.  "We fight so much we'd probably end up killing each other," she said with a hoarse laugh.

"You really think so?" he asked in contradiction to what she said.  Ron personally thought they could make beautiful music together…

_But in his heart's defense he told her what they /_

_Had in common /_

_Was strong enough to bond them for life /_

Hermione nodded, continually chewing on her lower lip and Ron was once again struck with how beautiful she was.  "Yes, we'd never get along Ron."  Then, as if to emphasize her point, she said something she would regret that night as she cried in bed.  "I'm much better suited to someone like Harry.  We never fight.  And you belong with Lavender.  You and I aren't alike at all."

Ron didn't speak.  Hermione was right, she was always right.  Why would now be so different?

_He said look behind you own soul and person that you'll see /_

_Just might remind you of me /_

She stood then.  "We're better off being friends Ron.  You can't deny that."

He nodded absent-mindedly.  If she continued to talk she would see his heart ripped out and shredded into a thousand pieces.  He wished she would shut up.

_I laugh, I love, I hope, I try /_

_I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry /_

_And I know you do the same things too /_

_So we're really not that different, me and you /_

Hermione saw how badly he was hurting, and felt how bed she was hurting.  She needed to leave.  She hated the silence.  "Goodnight Ron."

He nodded but didn't say anything.  He just continued to stare straight ahead.  She could tell he was either deep in thought or not thinking at all.  She couldn't stand the tension anymore in here and so she fled.

She ran all the way up to the Gryffindor Common Room, lucky enough to not run into Filch, Mrs. Norris, or Peeves.  She stopped just short of the Fat Lady, who smiled down at her, waiting patiently.

"Purple flying pigs," she said breathlessly.  The Fat Lady smiled.  

"Where's your boyfriend?  I could have sworn I saw you two leave _together."  She smiled knowingly.  "Don't worry Dear, I won't tell anyone."  She giggled as her portrait swung open._

Hermione had hoped no one would be up, but much to her disappointment nearly everyone was still awake.  The only people she didn't see were the Creeveys.  "Where's Ickle-Ronniekins?" one of the twins asked while batting their eyelashes.

They thought they were so smart.  Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Ooh, better not upset her too much Forge or else she'll get her big boyfriend to beat you up," the one said.

Forge gasped.  "She wouldn't!"

Hermione didn't respond to any of this.  It was all stupid talk anyway.  They didn't know what they were talking about, as usual.

_She could hardly argue with his pure and /_

_Simple logic /_

_But logic never could convince a heart /_

Instead of answering, she ran up the stairs to the fifth year girls' dormitory.  Lavender shook her head.  "Hmm, I wonder what is with her…?" she mused quietly to herself so no one else could comment while Hermione threw herself down on her bed and let the tears pour forth.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she wailed.  She had never felt as upset as she did now.  She didn't know she could cry like this.

Hermione tried to console herself.  She tried to tell herself that he was just a stupid prat anyway.  She tried telling herself that his red hair wasn't really that gorgeous and that his eyes weren't really that blue.  She tried telling herself that his lips weren't really that soft.

But he wasn't just a stupid prat: he'd always been _her stupid prat.  And his red hair really was that gorgeous and his eyes really were that blue.  Hermione knew his lips were _that _soft and even now, after all she had said, she could still feel his lips pressed against her sweetly._

_She had always dreamed of loving someone /_

_More exotic /_

_And he just didn't seem to fit the part /_

_So she searched for greener pastures but never /_

_Could forget /_

_What he whispered when she left /_

The door to her dormitory swung open.  "Why did you let those awful twins get to you Hermione?" Lavender asked.

"I thought you were smarter than that," Parvati added in.  

"Thanks," she whispered dryly.

Lavender gently sat down on the edge of Hermione's bed while Parvati sat across from Lavender, on Lavender's bed.  "You know they were just teasing anyway, Hermione.  Ron doesn't really have a ton of admirers."  Parvati raised a skillfully arched eyebrow at this lie.  Lavender shook her head, signaling for Parvati to keep quiet.  "Besides, no admirer could compare to you in Ron Weasley's heart."

Parvati took this time to jump into the conversation.  "Yes Hermione!  Remember last year's Yule Ball?  Ron went with Padma but stared at _you the entire time!" she exclaimed excitedly._

Hermione didn't bring up the fact that Padma was _not an admirer of Ron._

_I laugh, I love, I hope, I try /_

_I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry /_

_And I know you do the same things too /_

_So we're really not that different, me and you /_

Hermione sat up, wiping away the tears still left on her cheeks.  "You don't know how he feels about me!  How could you say that he wouldn't leave me for another prettier girl?" she asked, desperately grasping at straws to somehow make her worries seem real.

"He wouldn't Hermione," Parvati said sincerely.  "He loves you."

"Oh yeah?  And how do you know that?  Did you read that in your tea leaves?" she barked back.

Her two roommates backed away from her, both holding their hands up defensively.  "Alright, alright!"

***

Long after Hermione had left Ron stayed in the library.  He decided he loved, but hated, this room.  The books reminded him of Hermione which was both why he loved the place and hated it.  It was stupid of him to have kissed her, he decided.

_Was it time or was it truth /_

_Maybe both led her back to his door /_

_As her tears fell at his feet /_

_She didn't say "I love you" what she said /_

_Meant ever more /_

The creaking of the floors brought Ron out of his reverie.  Excited that it was Hermione coming to tell him that it was all a mistake, he frantically looked behind his shoulder, only to find Harry standing there, leaning one shoulder against the bookshelf; Ron's chess set was in his other hand. 

"How does that game of chess sound now?" Harry asked quietly.  Madame Pince had seen him come carrying the chess board and shot him a disapproving look.  

Ron shook his head.  "I don't feel like it tonight.  Maybe tomorrow," he suggested quietly.

Harry nodded sadly.  He had heard Lavender and Parvati's speculations and seeing the look on his best friend's face, he knew they were more than mere speculations, they were the truth too.

He took a seat next to Ron at the table, not knowing what else he could do.

_I laugh, I love, I hope, I try /_

_I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry /_

_And I know you do the same things too /_

_So we're really not that different, me and you /_

You didn't think I would just allow them to get together just like *that*, did you?  Well, what did you think?  Review, please!  It means so much to me!


	4. She Hates Me

A/N:  This chapter has a _lot _of curse words, so if you don't like cursing, don't read. 

Disclaimer:  I don't have money to buy a box of Kleenex so I wouldn't try suing me over Harry Potter.  And hey!  I don't even own the CD this song comes off of (Puddle of Mud, Come Clean).

*** Thanks to everyone choosing to read this!

**Chapter 4: She Hates Me**

"Harry, I think she's avoiding me," Ron said one night a week after the "incident".  They were playing chess.

"Why would you think that?" Harry asked, although he thought Ron was probably right.  Hermione seemed to be avoiding everyone lately though, not just Ron.  

"You know Harry; she said she was more compatible with you!" Ron exclaimed for the thousandth time.  "And that I ought to be with Lavender!  Can you imagine that?  Me, dating Lavender Brown?"

Harry just nodded, trying to concentrate on their game.  He figured Ron would win, Ron always won and he didn't know how since he was hardly looking at the chess board.  Still, Harry thought he ought to give Ron a good fight.

Ron moved his queen.  "Checkmate."  He gave Harry a lopsided grin.  "Sorry mate."

Harry grinned back at Ron, whose famous grins had been coming not often enough lately.

While Harry looked at his friend he noticed Ron's grin waver, and then completely fade.  He turned around only to see Hermione completely walk past them to join her roommates.  

_Met a girl, thought she was grand /_

_Fell in love, found out first hand /_

_Went well for a week or two /_

_Then it all came un-glued /_

Ron shook his head and immediately was grinning and laughing and talking loudly, kind of like the old Ron.  But Harry could feel how hard it was for him to laugh and he was angry at Hermione for doing this to his best friend; to _their best friend._

Hermione's glanced over to where Ron and Harry were sitting, laughing and talking, and Harry saw her frown from the corner of his eye.  If they were both this unhappy, or whatever it was, being apart then why weren't they together?  The solution to the problem seemed so simple to Harry.  He sighed, frustrated, thinking he liked them better when they were fighting.  The silence was tearing him apart.

"Hey Dean, you don't suppose when Harry and I sneak out to go to Hogsmeade tonight you could look the other way, could you?" Ron asked loudly, calling out to his roommate and the Gryffindor Prefect.  Harry grinned and shook his head.  Dean stared blankly at Ron, laughed shortly and then went back to talking about Quidditch with Ginny.

Ron's gaze wandered to Hermione, who was having an animated conversation with her roommates and he wondered what she could possibly be speaking about so enthusiastically with those two girls who were so opposite of her.

_In a trap, I can't grip /_

_Never thought /_

_I'd be the one who would slip /_

_Then I started to realize /_

_I was living one big lie /_

He shook his head, saw Harry smiling at him, and sighed.  "Hogsmeade?" Harry asked.  "Isn't there a Hogsmeade weekend coming up?"

"I-I dunno, I haven't really been paying attention at all, you know?" Ron asked just as Lavender clapped her hands and giggled wildly.  

"Ooh Hermione!  He is sooo cute!  You are sooo lucky!" she exclaimed happily.

Ron stood up abruptly, angry with her.  If he could have seen her face though, he would have laughed at how typically Hermione it was.  She was rolling her eyes and making faces at Lavender's girlish behavior.

Ron was growing red in the face, he was so angry with her.  Harry didn't say anything because he didn't think he would be able to calm his friend down.  He didn't think at this point that anyone would be able to.

"I'm going for a walk," he announced abruptly before tearing out of the common room.  

Ron walked quickly.  He didn't know where he was going, but when he reached the Quidditch pitch he wasn't surprised.  Much to his utter displeasure, Draco Malfoy was also there, polishing his broom.

"Look, it's the Weasel," Malfoy said predictably.  "Where's Mudblood?  What? Did you two have a lover's quarrel?"

He saw red.  He hadn't thought it was actually possible but he was seeing red.  He walked briskly over to Malfoy, who was smaller than him, and wrenched the broom from Malfoy's small, dainty white hands.  "You call her that one more time and I swear on the grave of the Bloody Baron I _will shove this up your ass!" he yelled loudly._

Malfoy's plucked eyebrows rose.  "Really?"

Ron grabbed him by the front of his robes and brought him to his face.  "Yes," he growled.

"Fine, I believe you," Malfoy drawled slowly.  

Ron threw Malfoy back down, sending the prick onto his back.

"Mr. Weasley!  Mr. Malfoy!  Would you two please follow me?"  Professor McGonagall's voice demanded sharply.

"Nice going, Weasel," Malfoy said under his breath.

"Shut the hell up," Ron spat out.

Professor McGonagall turned around abruptly.  "Mr. Weasley!  I will not tolerate that type of language!  Whatever beef is between you and Mr. Malfoy, I don't want to know about it!" she exclaimed.  "Detention!  For the both of you," she snapped.  "I don't want to see you in my office, I'm so disappointed in you Ronald; your brothers all have shown so much respect and so much talent…well, never mind about Frederick and George.  Ronald, this type of behavior cannot be tolerated!  I refuse to tolerate it!"

Ron had never seen McGonagall lose her temper like this before, she was like a snapping turtle that spoke sharp words.  Even Malfoy had blanched considerably.

Ron hung his head in shame.  "Yes, ma'am."  Malfoy said likewise.

McGonagall nodded her head once.  "Very well then, you shall be at Hagrid's Hut at eight o'clock this evening.  He will be in charge of your detention."  With that, she turned on her heel and walked quickly back to the castle.

"Good one, Weasel."

Ron glowered.  He would have loved to respond to that with a cutting remark, but didn't think he could get away with it because McGonagall was still outside.

He walked slowly back to the common room, lost in his own thoughts.  "Purple flying pigs," he said quietly.  The Fat Lady frowned and continued to look at him sadly.  She didn't like to see the usually cheerful redhead so sad.

"Ron, we heard you got detention tonight with Malfoy!" Seamus exclaimed loudly and more than one head turned in Ron's direction.  Hermione looked up from her book, shook her head sadly and then returned to her reading.

_She fuckin' hates me /_

_Trust, /_

_She fuckin' hates me /_

_La la la love /_

_I tried too hard /_

_And she tore my feelings like I had none /_

_And ripped them away /_

"Guess this means I won't have to not catch you and Harry tonight going to Hogsmeade," Dean said with a sheepish grin. 

Ron did a smirk thing with his face.  "Guess not," he replied.

"I heard you gave it to Malfoy Ron!" Colin Creevey exclaimed.  "Didya, didya?" he asked.  The kid had always been irritating.

Ron grimaced.  He didn't even want to know how they knew about Ron almost, he was so close, kicking Malfoy's skinny white arse.  

Dennis Creevey piped up.  "Yeah, I mean, there I was, walking along outside, minding my own business taking pictures and what do I see?  McGonagall giving them detention.  It was pretty cool," he finished.

Well, Ron didn't think it was very cool.  He didn't want detention, especially with Malfoy.  And, no offense to Hagrid, but he didn't want detention with him either because they always ended up doing something in the Forbidden Forest.  As far as Ron was concerned, there was a reason it was called the Forbidden Forest, and a damn good one at that.

There were creepy things in there, like dark lords slithering around the ground drinking Unicorn blood and giant spiders that tried to eat people.  There was definitely a reason it was called the Forbidden Forest, although Hagrid completely forgot to take note of that most of the time.

"Serves you right Ron," Hermione stated quietly without looking at Ron.

_"Serves you right Ron."_  They hadn't talked in a week and that was the first thing she said to him?  _"Serves you right?"_

_She was clean for about an hour /_

_After that, shit got sour /_

_She took all I ever had /_

_No sign of guilt /_

_No feeling bad, no /_

"If I didn't know you this never would have happened!" he shouted angrily.  OK, so that was the wrong thing to say, but he had said it.

Hermione looked up at him, biting her lower lip.  Damn, she was cute.  "And how is _your detention _my_ fault?" she asked pointedly.  She lowered her book, closing it shut and set it on the coffee table, rising to her feet to meet Ron's challenge._

"It's your damn fault because you aren't…you aren't…"  Ron was not going to stoop that low.  It didn't matter now.  He would do it all over again, even knowing the consequences.  It was just what you did when you loved someone.

"What the hell did you mean by that?" she repeated.

"Language, language," he reprimanded.

"Prat!" she shot back loudly.

"Uh, guys," Harry interrupted tentatively.  "Guys, maybe you ought to just quit right now.  Everyone's watching," he said before they said some really horrible things in front of their housemates.

They both blinked twice and then backed away, mumbling to themselves.  

"Oh that's cute!" George said with a laugh.  "They fight like they're married!"

"Shut the hell up!" Hermione snapped.  Realizing what she said, a brilliant blush colored her cheeks.  "Sorry," she mumbled immediately.

George started to say something but Hermione cut in.  "I didn't mean you could talk!  I just want you to shut up!"

"You need to learn to keep your girlfriend in line," George grumbled.

"She is not my girlfriend!" Ron roared.

_In a trap, I can't grip /_

_Never thought /_

_I'd be the one who would slip /_

_Then I started to realize /_

_I was living one big lie /_

_She fuckin' hates me /_

_Trust, /_

_She fuckin' hates me /_

_La la la love /_

_I tried too hard /_

_And she tore my feelings like I had none /_

_And ripped them away /_

"Why do you two deny the obvious?" Harry asked, wishing immediately that he hadn't said anything because they both turned on him.

"Shut up!" they yelled in unison.  Much to Harry's annoyance, he laughed.  They were so predictably funny. 

Ron whirled around.  Ginny was right behind him, looking up at him surprised.  "Hi Gin," he said automatically.  Ginny looked a little distressed as she stood on her tiptoes to tell her brother something.

He shoved her.

"Go away!  Go owl Mum or something!" he told her as he stomped away.  Hermione, still angry huffed her way to her own dormitory, with her roommates following closely behind.

"Stupid, stupid prat!" Ginny exclaimed as she practically jogged over to the sofa.  "Those two are so stupid!  I know how Hermione feels about him and I know how he feels about her!"  She glared at her twin brothers.  "You two!  It's all your fault they are being like this!"

"Oh yeah, that's rich!  Blame it on us!  They would have broken up sooner or later!" Fred exclaimed in his defense.

"I don't believe that!" Ginny retorted.  Then she stood from where she was angrily glaring at them and walked over to them, hands on her hips, staring them down, Harry could imagine a young Mrs. Weasley.

"And, another thing, even if they did break-up later on it would be on their own time!  Not because of you two great idiots!" she said sternly.  "Now it's like they can hardly stand each other and they won't even talk!"

"What do you call what they just did Gin?" George yelped.

"I call it screaming at each other, which I'm very happy they did.  I hate the silence between the two of them!" she retorted.

During the Weasley argument, Harry went upstairs to find Ron lying on his back on his bed.  His curtains weren't drawn shut so Harry felt like he could talk to his friend.  "Ginny's down there chewing out Fred and George."  He chuckled at the memory of Ginny standing over them like their mother must have done one too many times.

"For?"

"From what I gather, from being complete assholes," Harry responded.

Ron obviously tried to keep his smile from getting too wide but failed miserably.  "Good.  She's pretty scary when she's angry, you know?"

Harry nodded.

Ron turned his head to look at his friend.  "Harry, I really liked—like, Hermione and she totally…I dunno…wasn't Hermione.  I don't think she meant to hurt me, but she did," he said reasonably.

Then he launched into a short this-is-what-happened tale.  Harry listened, glad Ron left out the kissing parts.

_That's my story as you see /_

_Learned my lesson and so did she /_

_Now it's over, and I'm glad /_

_'Cause I'm a fool for all I've said /_

"I don't blame her for not liking me…like that.  I mean, I'm not special or anything.  I'm not the only girl in the family, or the smart one, or the handsome one.  I know that.  I just wish someone else didn't," he admitted.

Harry had never seen his friend so honest and wondered if this is how he had been with Hermione during the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year.  He had never admitted to jealousy before but now it seemed he was.

"And I'm not the wonderful Boy Who Lived," Ron said with a sigh.  "Look, I don't blame you Harry.  I really don't.  I'm just mad at…myself?  I dunno who I'm mad at.  I wish she wasn't mad at me."
    
    _She fuckin' hates me /_
    
    _Trust, /_
    
    _She fuckin' hates me /_
    
    _La la la love /_
    
    _I tried too hard /_
    
    _And she tore my feelings like I had none /_
    
    _And ripped them away /_
    
    _La la la la la la la la la love /_
    
    _Trust /_
    
    _La la la la la la la la la love /_
    
    _Trust /_
    
    _La la la la la /_
    
    _And she tore my feelings like I had none /_
    
    _Trust /_
    
    _She fuckin' hates me /_

So, what did you think of that?  I won't be updating this story for a couple of days because I'm going to work on the other one I've started, which is two chapters behind this one.  I hope you liked this…and don't worry; I know where I'm going with this story.  Review please (and don't be too evil if you hated it!)!


	5. Sorry

A/N:  I promise this chapter will be a lot different from the last one…Hermione realizes her mistake!  Doesn't that make ya'll happy?

Disclaimer:  I don't own the characters and as for the song, it's from the Our Lady Peace CD, Gravity.  Good books, good CD.

*** Thanks to Shadow Phantom, Jessica, and triniroo for reviewing!  I hope you start to like Hermione again (at least a little bit) triniroo!  LOL

**Chapter 5:  Sorry**

Hermione hadn't meant to stay in the library so late, but she did and as she turned left toward Gryffindor and tall, semi-built figure joined her, although he kept a distance of a few feet between them.

She knew it was Ron; she just didn't have anything to say to him.  She wanted to say something but she didn't have the courage to bring herself to do so.  She felt like such a pansy.

_Today's a reason for living /_

_Today's the blood from a stone /_

_Today's the light from a candle /_

_Helping us to find our way home /_

Walking silently behind Ron's tall figure, Hermione thought about the conversation she'd been having with Terry Boot.  She had told him her problems after they were done studying and he had told her what to do about it.

Terry wanted her to apologize, to tell Ron that the whole thing was her fault but she didn't know if she had the strength to do that.  Admitting she was wrong to Ronald Weasley was not exactly on her list of things to do before she died, although she thought it probably should've been.

_Today we carry each other /_

_Today the past is a freak /_

_Today is the time for forgiveness /_

_You were never that good to me /_

"Ron!" she shouted then.  Immediately she clapped her hands over her mouth.  

Ron halted and turned around.  "Hermione?  What the hell are you doing out of bed?" he asked.  His voice was drenched in sleepiness.

She had forgotten he had just had detention.  Hermione held a finger up to her lips and motioned him to duck into a locked hallway that no one but they and Harry knew about it.  "Filch," she whispered and Ron nodded comprehension.

"Alohomora!" she muttered quietly under her breath.  She knew the immediate moment when Ron joined her, coming from behind, and the hair of the back of her neck stood up straight as a thrill ran down her spine.

They ducked into the hallway, shutting the door behind them just as Mrs. Norris peeked her ugly eyes around the corner of two corridors.

"Ron, I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered as soon as the door was closed behind them.  She had to say it so quickly because otherwise she was afraid she would lose her nerve.  Ron nodded.

"Please, Ron, can you forgive me?" she asked.

He didn't say anything.  He didn't look at her.  Rather, he stared at some point behind her.  

"Ron?" she prompted timidly.

That got his attention and he glared down at her.  "Do you know what I've been doing for the last hour, Hermione?" he asked sharply.  She bit her lip and shook her head.  Curly locks fell into her eyes and he resisted the urge to pull them away from her pretty eyes.  "I've been collecting Unicorn dung for fertilizer for Hagrid.  I had to do that with Malfoy.  I did it all because of you."  He turned to walk away; he was tired and wanted to get to bed.  Not to mention he was unbelievably behind a Divination assignment, not that that was too abnormal.

Hermione clutched at his sleeves.  "Please stay and talk while?" she asked.

Ron looked down at her angrily.  "Hermione, why is it we talk when you want to?  Don't I ever get to choose when we talk?"

"Who cares who chooses when we talk as long as we talk?" she retorted.  Her temper rose.

_I'm sorry I can't lie /_

_I wasted too much time /_

_Drowning, I've been blind /_

_But I've opened up my eyes /_

"Apparently I do!" he retorted in a hushed, angry whisper.

Hermione threw her hands in the air, and accidentally smacked Ron in the jaw.  As her hand connected with his jaw, his jaw then snapped shut.  "Dammit!" he yelped.  "What the hell was that for?"

"I didn't mean to do it, Ron!" she exclaimed.

He eyed her warily and rubbed his jaw.  "I don't believe you."

"Fine, don't!" she shouted.  "I don't care anymore!  You're purposefully being a prat and personally I don't care anymore!"

Ron's hand gripped the doorway.  His knuckles whitened as he gripped the knob even further.  "Good!  I don't care anymore about you either!  Now, if you don't care, I'm going up to bed!" he yelled, throwing the door open and slamming it behind him, leaving a stunned, upset Hermione behind.

Tears rolled unceremoniously down her cheeks as she crouched to the floor.  So much for Terry Boot's advice.  _Which you didn't really take_.

"Shut up," she muttered to her warring thoughts.  She didn't want any of this to be her fault.  She wasn't used to being at fault.  It was all her fault, though.

_Sorry I can't lie /_

_So I'll just say goodbye /_

_Goodbye, goodbye /_

Maybe it was all better this way anyway.  They would have made a horrible couple, wouldn't they have?

She didn't know anymore.

She laughed a little when she thought of her roommates who had giggled and screeched and said Hermione was the luckiest girl in the world if Terry Boot was actually talking to her.  They had been in the Common Room at that time and Hermione had blushed and rolled her eyes.  She hoped Ron hadn't heard them but she had found out from Ginny that he had.  She didn't like Terry that way.  She didn't.

Why was being a teenager so hard?

It was her birthday soon.  She had forgotten.  Maybe Ron had forgotten and Harry too.  Harry seemed quite angry with her too.  Well, she wasn't surprised by that.  Harry always, always took Ron's side.  Well, except when it came to Viktor Krum.

_Today is tasting the honey /_

_Today's the strike of a match /_

_Today's the lines in the pavement /_

_Helping us to find our way back /_

The tears had subsided to a minimum when she breathed deeply and opened the door quietly, careful to be mindful of its tendency to creak with old age.  It didn't that night but what she saw horrified her even more.

"It 'tis a student, out of bed, out of bed!" the poltergeist screamed down the hall from where she was, most likely waking every bloody student up from her to Timbuktu.  She hoped not.

Hermione started to inch her way along the way as Peeves the Poltergeist continued screeching out obscenities (insert your favorite curse words here) that made Hermione blush.  Not the least of which was his comment about a red haired Gryffindor he was sure he had seen come out of the deserted hallway earlier.

Peeves cackled and turned his back and floated away.  He continued singing his obnoxious song and Hermione was grateful that he seemed to not have alerted Mrs. Norris or Filch.  They were last living creatures she wished to see at this time.

_Today's the crosses we carry /_

_Today's the strength that we need /_

_Today's the hand of an angel /_

_You were not the kind to believe /_

She reached the Fat Lady who made a motherly clucking noise to Hermione, showing her disapproval of Hermione's late hour.  After many apologies Hermione was let in.  She stepped inside the portrait hole and sank to the ground while the Fat Lady swung shut.  She could hear Argus Filch's cranky old voice just before the Fat Lady closed.

"Peeves, was that you making that racket, or was it a student out of bed…?"

She sighed, happy to have escaped from the possibility of detention.

Ron's detention was all her fault.  This whole mess she found herself in was her fault.  Those weren't comforting thoughts.  

She stood up on shaky legs and disappeared into the darkness behind the redhead sleeping on the couch.

_Today we carry each other /_

_Today we do what we should /_

_Today is the time for forgiving /_

_I wish I could /_

Well hello!  How was that?  I'm hoping it was OK and I'm hoping I conveyed Hermione's inner struggle well enough to you.  Don't worry…they will get together…eventually.  I'm really enjoying writing this and I hope you enjoy reading this just as much.  Thanks again and please review!


	6. One Boy, One Girl

A/N:  It's been a little while since I last updated this fic, and that's because I've been trying to figure out what to do…and I've figured it out.  And so, alas, this is the last chapter!  I'd like to thank all for reading, especially my reviewers, whom include potterfan4life…thanks for reviewing my last chapter!

Disclaimer:  I don't own the characters, I don't own the song.  J.K. Rowling owns the characters and Collin Raye owns the song.

**Chapter 6: One Boy, One Girl**

"Harry!  Ooh, Harry!  I know what we can do!" Ginny Weasley squealed as she literally bounded over the back of the sofa.  "We'll set them up!"

"Set who up?" he asked, confused.

"Ron and Hermione of course," she replied, as if it was the simplest answer to the problem.  Harry squinted at her and then shook his head.

"There is no way in Hell that would work, Ginny," He told her.

"Oh?  And how do you know?  Isn't there that trip to Hogsmeade coming up?  I bet we could set them up there," Ginny stated calmly.

"Isn't Hermione seeing someone else?"

Ginny sighed heavily.  "No, no she isn't.  Terry Boot and she met in the library a _couple _of times but it wasn't any major deal.  She just told him her problems with Ron and he told her what she ought to do about them, that's all," Ginny informed him.

She placed her index finger over her lips.  "Shh…here comes Hermione!"

Hermione flopped down on the sofa next to Ginny.  "Hey guys, what's up?" she asked more brightly than she felt.

Ginny grinned and scooted closer to Hermione.  "I've got a great idea Hermione," she started.  "There's this guy that I think you'd really like, right Harry?" she asked, definitely narrowing her eyes to him, warning him not to blow this one.

Harry nodded.  "Yeah, there's this guy."  Boy was that lame.

"A boy?" Hermione questioned, looking green all of the sudden.

Ginny ignored this little fact and plunged ahead.  "Yeah.  He's cute and nice and sweet," she relayed.  "I can't tell you who he is but if you're willing he'd like to meet you at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade next weekend."  Ginny grinned.  "Trust me.  You'll know who he is when you see him."

"I haven't said I'll even meet him yet!" Hermione protested lamely.

Ginny's grin grew wicked.  Absolutely, adorably wicked.  "So you'll go?"

Hermione sighed and leaned back into the sofa.  She squeezed her eyes shut.  This might temporarily get her to forget Ron.  "Of course," she replied weakly.

Ginny winked at Harry, who just rolled his eyes.  Whoever ended up dating Ginny Weasley was going to have quite some woman on his hands.  He nearly felt sorry for the poor old bloke.

Ginny threw her arms around Hermione in an uncommon gesture of friendship between the two girls and screeched.  "Oh!  I'm so happy for you Hermione!  I promise you'll really like him!"

"He's cute?"

"You'll think so."

"He's nice?"

"Most of the time."

"He's sweet?"

"Only if he likes you," Ginny replied with a twinkle in her eye that made Hermione duck her chin and blush.  

"You're a hopeless romantic Ginny," she teased gently.

_And so are you Hermione, so are you._

***

The trip to Hogsmeade was in two days and Ron still hadn't agreed to meet "this girl who really likes you" as Ginny so eloquently put it.  In fact, Ron was quite adamant about not going and Harry was somewhat curious as to why, although he didn't blame Ron at all.

"So Ron…why aren't you going to meet this girl who really likes you?" Harry asked casually on the evening before the trip to Hogsmeade.

Ron groaned.  "Not you too!  Can't you two just leave me alone?"

"Is it because of Hermione?" Harry asked, getting directly to the heart of what he suspected was the problem.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ron grumbled.

"I do."

Ron pushed his hand through his semi-long red hair.  "Alright already!  If I go tomorrow do you promise—and do you promise on behalf of your friend my sister—that you will stop butting into whatever my relationship is with Hermione?" he bargained.

Harry shrugged.  "Sure."

_That was way too easy_, Ron though uneasily.  

A steady silence followed the two boys then.  

"Umm…so what time or whatever?" Ron asked.  He _was _kind of curious to meet this mystery girl who was so crazy about him.

"Quarter to noon," Harry responded.  Ron sat back in the chair uneasily.  He was suddenly very nervous all of the sudden.

"You'll like her Ron.  She's smart, pretty, and her nose isn't off-centered," Harry put in as a joke, referring to last year's Yule Ball.  

Ron scowled.  "Gee.  Thanks Harry."

"You should be thanking Ginny."

"Who I'm sure is sitting right behind me with a huge, goofy grin pasted on her face," Ron added, turning around for effect and upon seeing Ginny, waved and nodded.  "Thanks Ginny."

"Anytime," she replied happily, sending a thumbs-up in Harry's direction.

_He finally gave in to his friend's girlfriend /_

_When she said "there's someone you /_

_Should meet" /_

It was nearly eleven forty-five.  Ron checked and rechecked his watch.  He could ever remember being quite this nervous.  It was ridiculous really.

_At a crowded restaurant way cross town /_

_He waited impatiently /_

There were students everywhere, Hermione saw through the window.  How was she going to recognize him?  Ginny said she would, but she wasn't so sure anymore.  There were just so many people.  Any one of them could be R-no, she had to remind herself, it isn't _him_ you're here to meet.  It's someone else.

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and pushed open the door.  The bell above the door jingle jangled more loudly than it ever had before.

_When she walked in their eyes met and they /_

_Both stared /_

_And right there and then everyone else /_

_Disappeared, but /_

Ron stood up as Hermione made her way across the room to him.  He wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, but he also wanted to scoop her up in a huge hug.  The movies always made this part look so easy.

Hermione looked up to him nervously.  This was insane.  Ginny couldn't have possibly done this for them, could she have?  

She chewed on her lower lip and Ron though she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Ron, I'm so sorry," she murmured.  "I never meant to hurt you.  I was scared," she finished just as Ron couldn't hold back anymore.  He literally picked her up off her feet and a sigh of relief escaped his lips when he felt her arms slip around him.

_One boy, one girl, two hearts beating wildly /_

_To put it mildly it was love at first sight /_

_He smiled, she smiled and they _

_Knew right away /_

_This was the day they'd waited for all their lives /_

_And for a moment the whole world revolved /_

_Around one boy and one girl /_

_In no time at all they were standing there /_

_In the front of a little church /_

_Among their friends and family /_

_Repeating those sacred words /_

_Preacher said, "son kiss your bride," /_

_And he raised her veil /_

_Like the night they met time just stood still for /_

"Do you, Ronald Marcus Weasley take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the preacher asked, smiling down at the happy, young couple.

Ron looked to Hermione, took a deep breath and then looked up at the preacher.  "I do," he replied in a shaky but sure voice.

"And do you, Hermione Kristine Granger take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Hermione smiled widely, although there were tears running freely down her face.  She sniffled and despite it all replied with just as much sureness in her voice as had been in Ron's.  "I do."

The preacher smiled and the guests sighed happily.  Ginny winked at Harry from across the aisle.  "I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss the bride."  Cheers from both families rose as Ron's lips touched Hermione's.

_One boy, one girl, two hearts beating wildly /_

_To put it mildly it was love at first sight /_

_He smiled, she smiled and they _

_Knew right away /_

_This was the day they'd waited for all their lives /_

_And for a moment the whole world revolved /_

_Around one boy and one girl /_

Hermione looked up at her new husband.  Her smile reached her eyes.  She stood on tiptoes and kissed his chin and he laughed.  Ron picked her up and swung her around and she felt like she was flying.

"I love you Mr. Weasley," she whispered into his ear.

"I love you Mrs. Weasley," he replied so gently it brought tears to Hermione's eyes.

_He was holding her hand when the doctor /_

_Looked up and grinned /_

_"Congratulations, twins" /_

Ron grinned and leaned down to lightly give Hermione a kiss on the lips.  Sweaty and tired from the pains of labor she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"I love you Mrs. Weasley," he said while planting a kiss on her forehead. 

She squeezed his hand.  "I love you Mr. Weasley."

They looked at the newest members of their small family.  Ron reached out to take hold of his newborn daughter while Hermione held her new son.  They smiled, looking at the babies and then smiled looking at each other.

_One boy, one girl, two hearts beating wildly /_

_To put it mildly it was love at first sight /_

_He smiled, she smiled, and they _

_Knew right away /_

_This was the day they'd waited for all their lives /_

_And for a moment the whole world revolved /_

_Around one boy and one girl /_

Well, how was that?  I hope you enjoyed it and I hope it flowed together alright!  Thank you so much for reading this, it means so much to me!  Now, please review and tell me your honest thoughts, OK?  OK.  Thanks again, everyone!


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